No decision yet on new Opelousas apartment complex

Opelousas City Code Enforcement Director Margaret Doucet discusses a proposed 48-unit apartment complex that was discussed at Tuesday night's Board of Aldermen meeting. At her right is Steve Brooks, chief financial officer of IDP Properties, which is hoping to develop the proposed site for the apartments.(Photo: Freddie Herpin / Daily World)

The Opelousas Board of Aldermen is not ready to make a decision on whether to approve construction plans for a proposed multi-family housing development adjacent to Interstate 49 on the east side of the city.

City officials heard from proponents and opponents of the construction of the 48-unit apartment complex on a six-acre cleared tract of land behind Lowe’s. The board later unanimously agreed to consider the matter later.

The board, Mayor Julius Alsandor and City Attorney Travis Broussard discussed those who live in the neighborhood where the two-story project is scheduled to be built.

Steve Brooks, who represented IDP Properties, said the apartment building that would be located between East Laurent and Vincent streets, includes plans for four separated two- and three-bedroom units with a picnic pavilion, community building and basketball court.

IDP, according to the company website, is a real estate development firm that develops property and provides construction management and consulting.

In an interview after his presentation, Brooks said he does not know who owns the property where the apartments would be built.

Brooks, the company’s Chief Financial Officer, said he was asking the board to rezone the property from a commercial zone that fronts I-49 to a multi-family zone in order to move the project forward.

According to Brooks, the apartments would require tenants to be employed and earn at least 80% of the median income of other St. Landry Parish residents.

Alderwoman Sherell Roberts said she isn't ready to make a decision on the issue.

“This is the first time I am hearing about it. The property is commercially zoned and now we want to make it a multi-family area,” Roberts said at Tuesday's meeting. “I think there are some areas that we should leave alone as commercial, and I am not prepared to take any action on this.”

Roberts said the conceptual plans for the project do not indicate where utility lines would be placed.

Brooks said the projected site of the apartments abuts a 14-acre section of property that remains undeveloped and zoned commercially. Brooks said he does not know if any development has been determined for the larger tract.

One woman who spoke in opposition and did not identify herself said she has concerns that the development plan for the apartments contains only one exit route that directs traffic for 300 people onto Laurent Street.

She said she and others are also concerned about what will be done with the other 14 acres of land next to the apartments.

Broussard said prospective business owners are reluctant to locate in the Opelousas area due to the current unavailability of affordable housing.

City planners, Broussard said, need to begin tackling issues such as zoning areas for commercial and residential real estate.

“We have to decide how we are going to use our property,” he said.

Broussard also pointed to the potential increase to utility and sewerage collection.

Jack Tolson, who has developed several residential properties in Opelousas, said the city has an abundance of families “who are having problems making ends meet.”

Tolson said developments like the one proposed by IDP, would help solve the issue of housing for Opelousas, which he said now has 1,110 substandard properties where families are forced to live.

Alsandor, a former alderman, reminded the board that the city had an opportunity several years ago to use a large section of municipally owned property to build houses on West Cherry Street, but the property remains vacant and is overtaken by vegetation.

“All of you know what that area looks like right now and we all know that we need housing,” said Alsandor.